This invention relates to a card game that is played similarly to blackjack, but using a deck of cards that has only a partial complement of numbered cards. The conventional deck of fifty two cards is modified by removing the numbered cards two through six, so as to achieve a playing deck containing thirty three cards. The playing deck includes all of the aces, all numbered cards seven through ten, all of the face cards jack through king and a single joker.
Each face card has an assigned value of ten, each numbered card has its indicated value, each ace has an assigned value of eleven, and the joker has an assigned maximum value of eleven. The joker is a wild card that can be used as a face card or numbered card in any suit.
The game can be played like blackjack; i.e. the dealer plays his hand against the individual hands of the other players. Each player, including the dealer, is dealt four cards face down; only three of the cards in each hand are used. Each player discards the card that is of minimal value in achieving a winning hand.
The object of the game is to achieve a hand having the having the highest point total, using the above-noted values. To add interest to the game, the card values in any hand are added together only when the cards are in the same suit. For example, a hand containing the seven of spades, jack of spades and seven of diamonds would have a point total of 17 (the seven of spades plus the ten points for the jack of spades); the seven of diamonds would not enter into the calculation.
In order to add further interest to the game, the rules provide that a hand containing three of a kind (e.g. three Jacks or three eights) will have a point total of thirty three. Thirty three is the highest point total that can be achieved.
From the above, it can be seen that there are essentially two ways to achieve a winning hand, i.e. by having cards of the same suit totalling a high point value, or by having three cards of the same denomination, e.g. kings or nines. The highest point total possible is thirty three (obtained with a hand containing three of a kind). The highest point total achievable with cards of the same suit is thirty two (e.g. ace of diamonds, king of diamonds, and the joker).
The game is preferably played like blackjack. The dealer and each player receives four cards face down; one of the cards is discarded, leaving three cards in each hand. All four cards can be dealt to each player in a single dealing sequence around the table. Alternately, each player can be dealt three cards face down; each player looks at his hand and discards one of the cards that he believes has minimal value. The fourth card is then dealt to each player, such the player has a hand containing three cards.
The dealer-banker plays his hand against the hands of the individual players, similarly to the procedure used in blackjack. The winning hand is the hand with the highest point total, achievable either by having three of a kind or by having a high point total in any single suit. The joker is a wild card that can be used as one of the cards in a three-of-kind hand, or as a high card in any particular suit.
One feature of the game is that only cards in the same suit can be added together, to achieve a high point total.
Another feature of the invention is that relatively high point totals are achievable (because each hand contains three cards). This feature tends to reduce the possibilities for tie game situations.
A further feature of interest is that each player has multiple ways to achieve a winning hand; i.e. with a hand containing three of a kind, or with a hand having a high point total.
A further interesting feature is the use of the joker as a wild card. The wild card increases the number of combinations that can be used to achieve a winning hand, thereby adding to the game enjoyment.
There are some patents disclosing variants of the game of blackjack. However, none of the patented games is believed to follow the precise concept involved in the present invention. The game herein disclosed is believed to be patentably distinct from the games of the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,305, ganted to J. Rodda et al, describes a gard game that is played with the eights, nines and tens removed from the deck. Each ace through seven has its indicated point value, and each face card has a value of one half point. The object of the game is to achieve a hand totalling as close as possible to seven and one half points, without exceeding that figure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,128, granted to M. Hesse, describes a card game wherein each ace has an assigned value of one, each 2 through 6 and 9 has its indicated value, and each face card has a value of zero; each seven, eight and ten is removed from the deck. The players attempt to have hands coming as close as possible to nine without exceeding that value. Each player receives three cards, with the option to receive one additional card. The game is a variation on the game of blackjack.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,193, granted to Emilio Ferrer, describes a card game in which the cards have designated point values. The object of the game is to hold a hand having a high point total that includes one half point. The face cards have a value of one half point, thereby enabling each player to achieve the desired high point card values containing the one half point valuation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,228, granted to a. Kangsanaraks, discloses a card game wherein the winning hand is the hand that has the highest total value closest to nine. Each player receives two cards, with the option to receive a third card. The aces have a value of one, the numbered cards have their indicated values, and the face cards have a value of zero. The game is played similarly to the game of blackjack.
The game of the present invention is played with a deck of cards that includes one joker, a full complement of face cards, and a partial complement of numbered cards; cards numbered two through six are removed from the deck. The joker can be used as a wild card, to serve as any face card or numbered card in the deck.
The game is played, using the procedures employed in the game of blackjack. A player can win by holding three of a kind, or by holding multiple cards in the same suit totalling a high point value.
Further features and procedures employed in the game of the present invention will be apparent from the attached drawing and description of the game rules, as explained in the specification.